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"Possibility and promise greet me each day as I walk out into my garden. My vigor is renewed when I breathe in the earthiness and feel the dirt between my fingers. My garden is a peaceful spot to refresh my soul." Meems






Welcome to my Central Florida Garden Blog where we garden combining Florida natives, Florida-Friendly plants, and tropicals.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

playing in the dirt



Red Zinnia- i picked up a few of these vibrantly colored blooms to add to the border.



Purple Coneflower- this is labeled a florida native plant and to imagine i've never planted the first one in all these years ... until now.
after much digging, lots of dividing, hauling & transplanting, some shopping, and more digging... progress has been made on my new planting area. there wasn't a master plan when this idea originated. not unusual. i like to design as i go along... an element of the exuberance I have for gardening. creating and mastering the space is the most satisfying aspect of my toil.



first things first: i lay out the flagstone pathway threading through the space. once all my plants are sufficiently filled in having a walkway will allow me easy access to the dense plantings. what's even more fun is the grandkids love to wind around through the maze.


i read recently to plant what you know grows well. this is a philosophy i have long adhered to. by digging up and multiplying what I already have growing in other areas i not only save money but this method of grouping like-plants with separations by swaths of grass or plants of varied texture visually creates a natural consistent flow while offering breaks of color, form and height.

Here's what we have so far:

1) over 75 variegated liriope divided from existing plants borders the entire perimeter. in key places i layered them to create a denser patch to break up the single edging.

2) red zinnias- purchased in 6" pots

3) purple coneflower - purchased in 6" pots

4) marble leaf- i dug this one out from a 'too-shady spot' in the front yard and transplanted - with more sunlight here the leaves should "marble" better and it should bloom its teeny purple flower more profusely.

5) white impatiens - purchased in 4" pots

6) variegated schefflera- these i had growing in pots from cuttings off other plants - i simply transplanted them here.

7) ferns - divided from the bed this expansion now leads into creating one ginormous bed.

8) xanadu- from 3 mature plants dug up and divided-- i was able to make 14 new plants. it will take a few weeks for them to get established and longer to fill out with new growth, but patience is a key virtue for a gardener, right?

9) i'm not certain what will go in this last piece of available soil. my first thoughts... divide/transplant my agapanthus and center something climbing on a trellis...

any further progress will have to wait until after thanksgiving. for now, i'm relegated to the kitchen for dinner & hostess preparations. i'll be 'thankful' for some rain soon as the drought we are in is making for lots of time spent hand watering all my freshly planted perennials and annuals.

10 comments:

  1. I have yet to try purple coneflowers, but I did have a gorgeous 'White Swan' variety a couple years ago.

    You've got me scouring catalogues and websites now for new plants to try. 8-]

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  2. You have been working very hard. It's nice to finally see that big project that has been keeping you so busy. It looks great!

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  3. It was great fun reading about the various plants that will fill your new gardening space. It will look beautiful. I like the path that you've made.

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  4. Wow. That was like reading a Better Homes and Garden feature. Amazing...your work, creativity, design, photography, AND your post layout and text. Thanks for sharing Meems! I can't wait to see it tomorrow!

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  5. Have a JESUS-filled Thanksgiving! ^i^

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  6. Awesome. I think you must be in your own gardening bliss right now. The weather is cooperating with you and you have a beautiful canvas to work with. All that hard work preparing is paying off. Now you can enjoy the designing of your new bed.

    Love getting to see the work as it progresses. I know it is a lot of work, but the results are so fantastic. You truly have a gift.

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  7. PS. I love the layout of the stones. I think that is a great idea for being able to actually walk IN the garden and as always you layed it out perfectly.

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  8. sophie: i too am venturing out of my safe-zone risking some new varieties. Happy Thanksgiving.

    jane: bigger project than i anticipated but it has been great therapy.

    kate: welcome - thanks for stopping by and commenting. i'm partial to the path too.

    nt: i think i'll use gardening bliss as a post title... i like it.if only the weather would stay like it has been. but then every one would want to live here and all the winter visitors would never go home ...


    mlm: i love your comments... so descriptive and i still think you are biggest fan!

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  9. I'm so impressed. I love your ideas. And you have agapanthus!! *jealous* I design (if you can call it that) much like you do, only a little less structured. I truly garden and design by the seat of my pants!

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  10. kylee: seat of the pants is a good description... not much measuring or drawing plans here either. it's more like inspiration, see it in my head and get my hands dirty getting it done. ahhhh... creativity. :-)

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Have a blessed day,
Meems


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